Self-propelled amusement device



Oct. 22, 1963 C. B. VERGE SELF-PROPELLED AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed June 11, 1959 jgzdera arx 'azrZu. We? 6.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,1WL925 Patented Get. 22, 1963 SELF-PRQPELLED AMUEEWNT DEVHIE @arl B. Verge, 12%9A Ehn St, Glendale 1, Calif.

Fiied dune 11, 1959, Ser. No. 819,685 6 (Jiaims. (U. 280-221) This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to a novel form thereof upon which the user may stand and be self-propelled.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an amusement device which is capable of rolling contact with a fioor, pavement, sidewalk, or equivalent surface and on which the user may be supported by standing thereon and then by manipulation of the portions of such device on which he is standing, achieve self-propulsion in a desired direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amusement device in which the foregoing objective is realized in practice which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and which requires the achievement of varying degrees of skill to operate with corresponding complexity in the acts which may be performed thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide an amusement device comprising a plurality of laterally spaced, wheel-like tread elements disposed along the line containing the axes about which the peripheries of said elements are generated and which elements are interconnected laterally by a pair of oppositely disposed, foot receiving crank members on which the user stands and maintains his balance by shifting his weight from one crank to the other or causes the tread elements to rotate with resultant propulsion of the device and the person standing thereon.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an amusement device comprising a series of three laterally spaced, parallel disks disposed along the line containing the axes about which the peripheries of said disks are generated and which disks are interconnected laterally by a pair of oppositely disposed, foot receiving crank elements on which the user stands and maintains his balance by shifting his weight from one crank to the other, or causes the disk to rotate with resultant propulsion of the device and the person standing thereon in a desired direction.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described, by way of example, in the following specification of certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device with a child standing thereon in the usual position of use of the device,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation partly in section of the device,

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a front elevation partly in section of a second embodiment of the device, and

PEG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the device consists of three wooden disks 1, 2 and 3, which are preferably of the same thickness and diameter, said disks being arranged in spaced, parallel side by side relation. The disks :1 and 2 are interconnected by a crank pin comprising a heavy dowel pin 4 disposed on a line parallel to the axes of said disk and disposed approximately half way between said axes and the periphery of the disks. The disk and dowel are drilled at the juncture line thereof-for reception of smaller wooden dowels 5, 5 which are driven into the drilled holes to serve as keys to prevent relative rotation between the dowel 4 and the disks 1 and 2, a suitable adhesive being used to unite the dowel 4, the key elements 5, 5- and the disks 1 and 2. Freely rotatably mounted on the dowel 4 and extending between the disks 1 and 2 with sufiicient end play therebetween is a generally rectangular treadle member 6. A second crank pin 7 and freely rotatable treadle member 8 mounted thereon are interposed between and interconnect the disks 2 and 3 at a point which is preferably the same distance from the axial line of the disks as is the dowel pin 4 and diametrically opposite thereto. Key elements 9, 9 corresponding to the key elements 5, 5 serve to prevent loosening and rotation of the dowel 7 in the disks 2 and 3. The thickness of the disks 1, 2 and 3 and the tightness with which the dowel pins 4 and 7 are secured therein is such the disks will be parallel to each other and the axes of the disk will be in at least substantial alignment.

In use, the person stands on and is wholly supported by the device by standing on the crank arms formed by the treadle members a and 8 and attempting, by shifting his weight from one crank arm to the other, to achieve a balance and to maintain that balance by applying greater or lesser weight to one foot than the other. Alternatively and for the principal use of the device, by applying weight first to one treadle element and then to the other in the manner of applying force to the pedals of a bicycle, the user can effect self-ppopulsion along a supporting surface While supported by the device. Experience has shown that the average child who is old enough to ride the smaller sizes of bicycles, can learn to use this device in about ten or fifteen minutes. As the skill of the child progresses, similar devices with approximately the same throw or eccentricity of the crank pins, but with larger diameter disks can be employed to provide further challenge for the child. While the device finds its principal use as a toy or amusement device for children, its appeal extends to adults as Well and devices with a greater ratio between the throw of the treadle means and the diameter of the supporting disks can provide a real challenge even for adults having extremely quick imbalance reactions.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 there is shown a simplified form of the device in which only two of the tread elements or disks are employed. In this embodiment of the invention, the disks 10 and 11 are disposed in spaced parallel relation and each of the disks is provided with a flange element 12, 12 disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the axial line which is common to the disks, said flange elements being secured to the confronting faces of the disks by screws 13 and having a centrally disposed internally threaded bore '14. The crank shaft element comprises a length of pipe 15 bent to provide parallel, offset crank pin portions 16 and 17 terminating in threaded portions 18 engaging the threaded bores 14f in the flanges. Adjacent the bends in the crank pin element 15 which forms the treadle portions 16 and 17, washers 19, 19 are secured by welding and the treadle elements 2%, 2d are freely mounted on the crank arms and restrained against excessive endwise movement thereon by the washers 19' at one end thereof and the ends of the flange members 12 at the other. Set screws 21, 2.1 serve to prevent notation of the crank arms, in the flanges once they have been tightened into the desired position. Alternatively the ends of the crank pins can be welded in position in the flanges or secured by crosspins or any other means which will prevent relative rotation as may be found most expedient in manufacture.

The use of this second embodiment of the invention is exactly the same as that described in connection with the first form of the invention. This form, while cheaper to manufacture, presents the slight disadvantage that it is found to be less easy for the user to make sharp turns. For mobility in making quick and very sharp turns, the three disk type of device is to be preferred. Where speed of a travel in a straight of way direction or without sudden sharp turns is desired, this second form of the invention is to be preferred.

Thus there has been provided a simple amusement device which affords a great challenge for the user (child or adult) which is simple and sturdy in construction and economical to manufacture. While the illustrated embodiments are shown as formed from wood and from wood and metal, modification of the design to adapt it to the use of plastic and metal or all plastic or all metal with the modifications that engineering skill would dictate in connection with such change of materials will be deemed to be within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, with these considerations in mind, the invention is not to be deemed to be limited to the exact details of construction thus disclosed by way of example, and it will be understood that the invention includes as well all such changes and modifications in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An amusement device upon which a person may be supported for self-induced propulsion; said device comprising at least two wheel-like tread elements having peripheral tread surfaces of substantially equal diameter disposed in space-d side-by-side relation for rotation in unison about an axial line which is substantially coincident with the axes of generation of said tread surfaces, and means serving as the sole support for a person to stand on and be propelled by said amusement device interconnecting said tread elements in spaced, side-byside relation comprising a crank shaft element having its opposite ends attached to the adjacent faces of said tread elements and having a pair of crank pin portions disposed at diametrically opposite sides of said axial line; said crank shaft element serving as said sole means for a person to stand on while inducing self-propulsion by rotation of said crank shaft element and to choose direction of travel by causing said device to turn from one direction to a desired direction through force applied to said crank shaft element by forces applied thereto solely by the feet of the user while supported by said device; said person supporting means further comprising a pair of flanges attached one each to the confronting faces of one each of said spaced tread elements and in which one each of said crank pin portions of said crank shaft element is fixedly secured to one each of said flanges.

2. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 in which said crank pin portions are cylindrical in configuration and carry, respectively, one each of a pair of treadle members mounted thereon for free, relative rotative movement thereon, and in which means is provided for limiting the extent of movement of each of said treadle members axially of the crank pin on which it is mounted.

3. An amusement device upon which a person may be supported for self-induced propulsion; said device comprising three wheel-like tread elements having peripheral tread surfaces of substantially equal diameter disposed in spaced side-by-side relation for rotation in unison about an axial line which is substantially coincident with the axes of generation of said tread surfaces, and means serving as the sole support for a person to stand on and be propelled by rotation of said tread elements interposed between and rigidly interconnecting said tread elements in said side-by-side relation including a first crank pin disposed parallel to and laterally ofiset from said axial line rigidly connecting two of said tread elements in said spaced, side-by-side relation, and a second crank pin disposed diametrically opposite to said first crank pin with respect to said axial line and rigidly interconnecting the third tread element in said spaced side-by-side relation with one of said first-mentioned tread elements.

4. An amusement device as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said crank pins carries a treadle member freely rotatably mounted thereon.

5. An amusement device as claimed in claim 4 in which at least a portion of the peripheral surface of each of said treadle members is of non-circular configuration for non-rotative engagement with the foot of a user.

6. An amusement device as claimed in claim 3 in which said tread elements comprise woo-den disks and said crank Y elements comprise wooden dowels secured in openings in the side surfaces of said disks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 663,295 Neubert Dec. 4, 1900 1,333,292 Case Mar. 9, 1920 1,469,884 Bried Oct. 9, 1923 1,664,641 R-aasch Apr. 3, 1928 2,416,471 Chappedelaine Feb. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 704,549 France Feb. 23, 1931 

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE UPON WHICH A PERSON MAY BE SUPPORTED FOR SELF-INDUCED PROPULSION; SAID DEVICE COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO WHEEL-LIKE TREAD ELEMENTS HAVING PERIPHERAL TREAD SURFACES OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL DIAMETER DISPOSED IN SPACED SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION FOR ROTATION IN UNISON ABOUT AN AXIAL LINE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY COINCIDENT WITH THE AXES OF GENERATION OF SAID TREAD SURFACES, NAD MEANS SERVING AS THE SOLE SUPPORT FOR A PERSON TO STAND ON AND BE PROPELLED BY SAID AMUSEMENT DEVICE INTERCONNECTING SAID TREAD ELEMENTS IN SPACED, SIDE-BYSIDE RELATION COMPRISING A CRANK SHAFT ELEMENT HAVING ITS OPPOSITE ENDS ATTACHED TO THE ADJACENT FACES OF SAID TREAD ELEMENTS AND HAVING A PAIR OF CRANK PIN PORTIONS DISPOSED AT DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID AXIAL LINE; SAID CRANK SHAFT ELEMENT SERVING AS SAID SOLE MEANS FOR A PERSON TO STAND ON WHILE INDUCING SELF-PROPULSION BY ROTATION OF SAID CRANK SHAFT ELEMENT AND TO CHOOSE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL BY CAUSING SAID DEVICE TO TURN FROM ONE DIRECTION TO A DESIRED DIRECTION THROUGH FORCE APPLIED TO SAID CRANK SHAFT ELEMENT BY FORCES APPLIED THERETO SOLELY BY THE FEET OF THE USER WHILE SUPPORTED BY SAID DEVICE; SAID PERSON SUPPORTING MEANS FURTHER COMPRISING A PAIR OF FLANGES ATTACHED ONE EACH TO THE CONFRONTING FACES OF ONE EACH OF SAID SPACED TREAD ELEMENTS AND IN WHICH ONE EACH OF SAID CRANK PIN PORTIONS OF SAID CRANK SHAFT ELEMENT IS FIXEDLY SECURED TO ONE EACH OF SAID FLANGES. 